Learn all about some great Italian composers! Here is a wonderful collection of resources for learning all about Vivaldi and Rossini. With each composer, there are free printable resources that will help your child learn all about these composers from Italy. Learn in a fun way with printable biographies, word search worksheets, writing assignments, printable sheet music, and homeschool lesson plans. Best of all, these resources are all free!

Antonio Vivaldi (1678-1741) Italian Baroque Era Composer

Antonio Vivaldi was born on March 4, 1678 in Venice, Italy. Antonio’s father, Giovanni Battista, a barber before becoming a violinist, taught young Antonio to play the violin and then toured Venice playing the violin with him. At the age of 15, Antonio began training to become a priest. At the age of 25, he was ordained a priest and soon after became known as the II Prete Rosso, “The Red Priest”, because of his red hair. Due to his health, he left the priesthood in 1703 after only 3 years. But he was still able to pursue a career in music.

Gioachino Antonio Rossini was born in Pesaro, Italy on February 29, 1792 into a family of musicians. Gioachino’s parents began his musical training at a young age. At the age of six, he was playing the triangle in his father’s band. Antonio’s father made a bad choice and had to go to jail. His mother, as a result, decided to move her family to Bologna to support them as an opera singer. As a child, Antonio performed as an apprentice opera performer, and later entered the Conservatory of Bolonga to study cello and composition. Because he was so taken by the music of Mozart his classmates referred to him as “the little German.”

Frederic Chopin was a Romantic-era Polish composer. He was born on March 1, 1810 in Poland. His father was French and his mother was Polish. In his future the music of both of these nations would influence his compositions. Some of his works for piano are called mazurkas and polonaises, which are polish dances. All of Chopin’s compositions include the piano; most are for solo piano, although he also wrote two piano concertos, a few chamber pieces, and some songs to Polish lyrics

Here are some free resources you can use to teach your kids about Frederic Chopin. Have a look at the homeschool lesson plans. A well-rounded lesson plan to teach your child all about Chopin. There are several printable resources, including a biography. And to round out the study on Frederic Chopin, there is free printable sheet music.

Is your child struggling with note naming? Does he or she love to play an instrument but has trouble with knowing which note to play? For music teachers, moms, dads, or even yourself, these free printable music flash cards are attractive and are a great way to drill note recognition.

Learn all about great French composers Camille Saint-Saëns and Claude Debussy ! With each composer, there are free printable resources that will help your child learn all about these composers from France. Learn in a fun way with printable biographies, word search worksheets, writing assignments, printable sheet music, and homeschool lesson plans. Best of all, these resources are all free!

Camille Saint-Saëns (1835-1921) French Romantic Era Composer

Charles-Camille Saint-Saëns was born in Paris, France in 1835. His father was a government clerk who died 3 months after his birth. At the request of his mother, Camille’s great-aunt Charlotte moved in with them. She was the first to introduce him to the piano. Beginning piano lessons at the age of two, he came to be known as one of the outstanding child prodigies of his time. He almost immediately began to write music with his first composition for piano dated March 22, 1839. His talent was not limited to music, he also learned to read by age three and mastered Latin by age seven. Read more…

Claude began piano lessons at the age of seven with an Italian violinist named Cerrito. His musical talent was quite evident, and by the age of ten Claude began studying music at the Paris Conservatoire. During his time there he studied composition, music history, piano, organ, and solfge. His experimental approach to composing music was problematic to his teachers however, as he did not like following the strict rules of the Conservatory. Read more…

Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany on May 7, 1833. Johannes’ father, a town musican, gave him his first musical instruction. At the age of seven he studied piano with Otto Friedrich Willibald Cossel. Young Brahms gave concerts in Hamburg and worked playing piano in restaurants and theaters to help support his family.

When Brahms was 20 he met famous composers Franz Liszt and Robert Schumann. Schumann was so impressed with Brahms’ music that he wrote an article for a music journal that made Brahms famous. Brahms’ success was also due to his hard work and his critical attitude toward his own music. He never felt he could live up to the standard set by Ludwig van Beethoven.

Below are some free resources you can use to teach your kids about Johannes Brahms. Have a look at the homeschool lesson plan. A well-rounded lesson plan to teach your child all about this Romantic Era composer. There are several printable resources, including a biography. And to round out the study on Brahms, there is free printable sheet music.

Learn all about some great German composers! Here is a wonderful collection of resources for learning all about Bach, Handel, Pachelbel, Beethoven, and Brahms. With each composer, there are free printable resources that will help your child learn all about these composers from Germany. Learn in a fun way with printable biographies, word search worksheets, coloring pages, writing assignments, printable sheet music, and homeschool lesson plans. Best of all, these resources are all free!

Johann Sebastian Bach (1685-1750) Baroque Era Composer

Johann Sebastian Bach was born in Eisenach, Germany in 1685. As a child, Bach’s father taught him to play violin and harpsichord. His uncles were all musicians, serving as church organists and court chamber musicians. One of his uncles, Johann Christoph Bach, introduced him to the art of organ playing. Read more…

George Frideric Handel was born on February 23, 1685 in the North German province of Saxony, in the same year as Baroque composer Johann Sebastian Bach. George’s father wanted him to be a lawyer, though music had captivated his attention. His mother in contrast, supported his interest in music, and he was allowed to take keyboard and music composition lessons. His aunt gave him a harpsichord for his seventh birthday which Handel played whenever he had the chance. Read more…

Johann Pachelbel was born in Germany, in the city of Nurnberg in 1653. His father enrolled him in the St. Lorenz High School but soon recognized Johann’s musical potential and arranged for outside musical training. Johann also showed such impressive academic abilities that he was allowed to attend various non-music classes at Nurnberg’s Auditorium Aegidianum. These abilities also allowed him to gain entrance to the Universitat Altdorf in 1669 at the age of fifteen. In addition to his academic and musical studies, he served as organist at the Pfarrkirche. Read more…

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, to Johann van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena Keverich. Although Beethoven’s exact birth date is not known, his family celebrated it on December 16. Ludwig’s first musical instruction came from his father Johann who was said to have been a harsh instructor. Johann later asked his friend, Tobias Pfeiffer, to teach his son. It seems that the harsh treatment continued, as Johann and his friend would come home late on occasion to pull young Ludwig from his bed to practice until morning.. Read more…

Johannes Brahms was born in Hamburg, Germany on May 7, 1833. Johannes’ father, a town musician, gave him his first musical instruction. At the age of seven he studied piano with Otto Friedrich Willibald Cossel. Young Brahms gave concerts in Hamburg and worked playing piano in restaurants and theaters to help support his family.. Read more…

Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Bonn, Germany in 1770, to Johann van Beethoven and Maria Magdalena Keverich. Although Beethoven’s exact birth date is not known, his family celebrated it on December 16. Ludwig’s first musical instruction came from his father Johann who was said to have been a harsh instructor. Johann later asked his friend, Tobias Pfeiffer, to teach his son. It seems that the harsh treatment continued, as Johann and his friend would come home late on occasion to pull young Ludwig from his bed to practice until morning.

Below are some free resources you can use to teach your kids about Ludwig van Beethoven. Have a look at the homeschool lesson plan. A well-rounded lesson plan to teach your child all about this Classical Era composer. There are several printable resources, including a biography. And to round out the study on Beethoven, there is free printable sheet music.